Babies With Bad Sleeping Habits

Babies start establishing habits shortly after they are born. The first noticeable habits are the sleeping habits. Parents who are trying to get a baby to sleep through the night might need to break some bad habits before the baby is able to get to sleep at bed time or stay asleep for the night.

  1. Feeding Before Sleep

    • Parents who feed their baby immediately before the baby falls asleep or whose baby falls asleep while drinking a bottle will find that the baby starts needing the comfort of a feeding to go back to sleep. This forms a bad habit because the baby will not comfort herself and won't go back to sleep when she wakes up during the night. To break the habit of needing a feeding to go back to sleep, feed the baby and wake her up before putting her into a crib. She will fuss at first, but will start comforting herself into sleep after a few minutes, especially if she is tired. Babies who are around six months or older can start being weaned off nighttime feedings if they were full term, according to pediatric Dr. Susan E.C. Sorensen on the website Baby Center. If the baby is not full term, parents should discuss nighttime feedings with their baby's doctor before starting to wean her off the feedings.

    Rocking Habit

    • Parents who rock their baby to sleep can have some problems with sleeping habits. The baby gets used to the rocking motion to drift off, which means that if he wakes up, he will need the rocking motion to go back to sleep. Parenting Magazine suggests rocking the baby until he starts to get drowsy and then putting the baby into the crib while he is still awake to stop or prevent the habit of sleeping only after rocking.

    Overly Tired Problem

    • Babies who become overly tired might form a habit of having trouble getting to sleep. This means that parents start using other methods of getting the baby to sleep like rocking or feeding. Parents can solve the problem by avoiding play before bed and putting the baby to bed half an hour to an hour earlier than her previous bedtime. If parents are unsure of a good time for the baby's internal sleep patterns, gradually work back in 15 minute increments until the baby falls asleep easily at night.

    Lack of Bedtime Routine

    • Avoiding bedtime routines results in babies with bad sleeping habits who do not sleep at the same time each night or day. This means parents end up having to stay up late, get up early or have odd routines in their own sleep as the baby is sleeping at irregular times. Setting a bedtime routine helps the baby fall asleep faster and establishes sleeping through the night easier. Parents should try getting the baby into bed at the same time each night and should use a routine to signal to the baby that it is time to sleep. A routine might start with a bath or diaper change, feeding, being set in the crib or rocked, telling a story or singing a lullaby. Parents should leave while the baby is still awake to prevent the habit of needing parents in the room to sleep.

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